Apparatus for making electrical connections



5 Sheets-Shaml l Filed Feb. 4, 1965 Feb, 7, E967 Filed Feb. 4, 1965 APPARATUS FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 w ,q @6 7 357 H. c. sToLTZ APPARATUS FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 4, 1965 H. C. STOLTZ APPARATUS FOR MAKING ELECTRCAL CONNECTIONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 4, 1965 Feb., i967 H, C. sToLTz 3,302,274

APPARATUS FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS Filed Feb. 4, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O 3,302,274 APPARATUS FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CNNECTIONS Herbert CollierStoltz, Hershey, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Feb. 4, 196s, ser. No. 430,275 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) This invention relates to apparatus for inserting a pinlike member into a panelboard to form an electrical connection between a wire and a conductor on the panelboard.

U.S. Patent 3,071,750 discloses a method of making an electrical connection between a wire and a conductor on a printed circuit board or similar panel member by means of a socket and a pin. The socket is mounted in the panelboard and the conductor on the panel is electrically connected to the socket as by clip soldering. The wire is inserted through the socket and the pin is then. pushed into the eyelet to wedge the conductor against the eyelet and form the electrical connection therewith. The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for inserting pins of the general type shown in Patent 3,071,750 into panelboards.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved device for inserting a pin-like member into a panelboard. A further object is to provide an inserting device having means for feeding a succession of pin-like members towards a reciprocable plunger, means for positioning the leading pin member of the succession in alignment with the plunger, and means for thereafter inserting the leading pin member into the board. A further object is to provide an inserting member having improved means for positioning the panelboard during the inserting operation. A still further object is to provide an apparatus having means for feeding a succession of pin-like members, means for inserting the leading pin-like member into a panelboard, and an intergraded actuating linkage for carrying out both the feeding and inserting operation.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved in a preferred embodiment comprising a stationary frame member having an anvil for supporting a panelboard into which a pin is to be driven. A slide member is mounted on the frame for movement towards and away from the panelboard and an inserting tool is mounted on the slide member for pushing an individual pin into the board. A succession of pins is fed through the slide by means of a feed pawl along a path extending transversely of the path of reci'procation of the slide member. The leading pin of the succession of pins being fed is advanced into a passageway in a rotatable transfer ring. This transfer ring is rotated through an angle of 90 during the operating cycle to position the pin contained therein in alignment with a plunger in the inserting tool. The feeding mechanism for the succession of pins, the actuating mechanism for the plunger, and the mechanism for lowering the slide member are all controlled by a single shaft in a manner such that the desired operations are brought about in the proper sequence during the operating cycle of the device.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a pin-inserting apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 but having some of the parts broken away and showing the positions of the parts at the completion of a pin-inserting operation;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the lines 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

v FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

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FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the pin-inserting nozzle showing the positions of the parts immediately prior to insertion of the pin into the board;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side view with parts broken away showing the opposite side of the apparatus from the side shown in FIGURES l and 2',

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of end-to-end connected pins adapted to be used with an apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view of an electrical connection made by means of a pin of the type shown in FIG- URE 8 between a conductor and an eyelet in a board;

FIGURE l0 is an axial sectional view showing the positions of the parts of the inserting mechanism at the beginning of the operating cycle; and

FIGURE 1l is a view similar to FIGURE l0 but showing the positions of the parts of the pin-inserting mechanism at the end of the operating cycle.

Referring first to FIGURES 8 and 9, U.S. Patent 3,071,750 discloses and claims a method of connecting a wire 4 to a conductor on a panelboard 2 by means of a pin member 8 and an eyelet 6. The eyelet is clinched or otherwise secured to the board and electrically connected to the conductor as by clip soldering. When it is desired to connect the wire 4 to the conductor on the panel, it is merely necessary to insert the wire through the eyelet and then insert the pin into the eyelet. The external surface of the pin and the axial opening of the eyelet have conforming tapers so that the wire is wedged between the surfaces of the pin and eyelet after insertion of the pin. Advantageously, the surface of the pin is provided with grooves or serrations as indicated to bring about a penetration of the insulation of the wire when the pin is inserted.

The present invention comprises an apparatus for inserting pins 8 into panelboards and is particularly adapted to be utilized with pins in stick form 10, each pin of the stick being integral with the next adjacent pin for convenience in handling. During the inserting operation, the leading pin of the pin stick is separated from the stick and inserted into the board in a manner which will be described below.

The disclosed form lof apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a gap-type frame member 12 having a lower arm 14 on the end of which a suitable anvil 16 is mounted. This anvil has a conical surface adapted to support the eyelet 6 during the inserting operation and center the eyelet accurately with respect to an inserting plunger 82. A hollow, generally rectangular, housing 18 is provided in frame 12 above the lower arm 14 and a slide member 20 is mounted on this housing for movement towards and away from the lower arm. This slide member comprises a relatively thin web 22 :having laterally extending flanges 24 which are held against the housing by means of L-shaped gibs 26 secured to the housing. The slide member is normally maintained in its raised position by means of a spring 28 secured at one end of the slide within the :housing 18 and secured at its opposite end to a suitable hook on the end of a screw 29 in a cover plate 30 on the upper side of the housing. A groove 32 is provided Ion the rearward side of the slide member to provide clearance for the spring as shown in FIGURE 5. The web portion 22 of the slide is enlarged at its lower end 38 (FIGURE 7) and a passageway 34 extends horizontally (as viewed in the drawing) therethrough to dene a feed path for the pin stick 10. A guide tube 36 is mounted in this passageway and extends rearwardly through the housing and the frame to form an extension of the feed path. In loading the apparatus, the section of the pin stick 10 is thus inserted through the tube 36 until it projects beyond the feed mechanism described below.

ij a v The feed mechanism for the pin stick is mounted in a recess 40 on the lower end of theweb 22 which in-n tersects the guide tube 36 so that a chordial portion of the pin stick projects beyond the side 39 of the recess. Feeding is accomplished by means of a reciprocable feed slide 42 disposed in the reces 40 and bearing against the sides thereof. A resilient feed finger 44 is mounted on the forward end of shuttle 42 and secured to the side of the shuttle by a flange as shown, the arrangement being such that upon leftward movement of the shuttle and the feed linger, the finger engages one of the pins in the pin stick and pushes the stick leftwardly in FIGURE 7. Upon rightward movement of the shuttle and the feed finger, the pin stick is restrained against movement by means of a retaining spring 46. The feed slide is reciprocated by means of a Ibell crank 4S having a depending arm 50 in engagement with a pin 52 extending from the feed slide. This bell crank is pivotally mounted at 54 on the web 22 of the slide member and has a relatively short rearwardly extending arm 55. When the slide member is in its uppermost position, the arm 55 is engaged by an adjustable stop 56 extending from a bracket 58 on one of the gibs 26 whereby the bell crank is swung through the slight clockwise arc about its pivotal axis 54 to advance the feed slide and the pin stick. When the slide member is lowered, arm 55 engages the lower stop 60 on bracket 58 to swing the bell crank in a counterclockwise direction thereby to retract the feed slide 42.

The pin stick is fed, by the feeding mechanism describd above, towards a nozzle 62 (FIGURES 6 and 7) mounted on the slide member in alignment with a pininserting mechanism generally indicated at 64 and described more fully below. Nozzle 62 has a pair of aligned passageways 66, 63 which are separated by cylindrical recess 70 on one side of the nozzle. A cap piece 63 of rubber or similar material is provided on the tip of the nozzle to prevent damage to the panelboard and/or wire While the pin is being inserted. A plate 72 is secured over the recess 70 and has a cylindrical boss 74 extending into the recess. Boss 74 is provided with a passageway 76 which is in alignment with the previously identified passageways 66, 68. A transfer ring 78 is rotatably mounted in recess 70 concentrically with respect to boss 74 and has passageways 80, 81 on opposite sides thereof. W-hen the transfer ring is in the position of FIGURE 6, the passageways 76, 66, 68, 80, and 81 are all in alignment with each other and with the plunger 82 of the inserting mechanism. At the beginning of the operating cycle, the transfer ring 78 is oriented in the position of FIGURE 7 with the passageways 80, 81 in alignment with the guide tube 36 so that the leading pin 0f the stick will be fed into the passageway 81. When the transfer ring is rotated through an angle of 90, the leading pin of the stick is severed from the stick and brought into alignment with the plunger 32.

Ring 78 has an integral hub portion 84 journalled in the nozzle body 62. A reduced diameter extension 86 of this hub is keyed at 88 to enlarged circular end 90 of an arm 92. This arm, in turn, is pivotally connected at 94 to one end of a C-shaped llink 96, the other end of this link being pivoted at 98 to a lever 100 (see FIGURES 1-3). Lever 100 extends alongside the web 22 of the slide 20 and is pivoted at its upper end 102 to the web. A ange 104 is provided on the upper end of lever 100 and has a roller 106 on its lower end for engagement with a downwardly sloping cam surface 108 on a bracket 109 secured to one of the gibs 26.

When the slide member 20 is in its uppermost position, the parts will be in the position shown in FIGURE 1. Upon lowering of the slide member, the roller 106 engages the cam 103 causing rotation of the transfer ring through an angle of 90 to bring the passageways 80, 81 into alignment With the plunger 82. Upon sequent raising of the slide member, the transfer ring is returned to its normal position by a spring 103 secured at one end to the lever' 96 adjacent to the pivot 94 and secured at its opposite to the web 22'.

I Since the rotary motion of the transfer ring 78 must be closely controlled, an ear 110 is provided on a plate 112 secured to the lower portion of the web 22. Ear 110 is engaged by the side 114 of a notch in the arm 90 thereby to limit the rotary motion of this arm and the transfer ring.

Referring now to FIGURES 10 and 11, the inserting mechanism 64 comprises a lower 4housing section 126 and an upper housing section which is movable downwardly with respect to the lower housing. The lower housing section has a conically formed end 128 with a reduced diameter tip portion fitted in a suitable recess on the upper side of the nozzle body 62. The plunger 82 has an enlarged diameter upper section 132 having cylindrical cap 134 on its end. The section 132 of the plunger extends slidably through a bore in the conical end 128 of the housing section 126. The cap portion 134 is received within a hollow inner housing 136 which extends concentrically within the upper and lower housings. At its upper end, the inner housing 136 is provided with an integral collar 138 which bears against an inwardly turned flange 139 on the upper end of housing section 130. A coil spring 140 surrounds the inner housing member 136 and bears against this collar at its upper end and against a shoulder 141 formed in the lower housing section. Spring 140 thus maintains the parts in the positions shown when the upper and lower housing sections are in extended relationship.

A spring 148 is contained in the inner housing 136 and bears against the upper surface of cap member 134 and against the surface of a cylindrical block 146 at its opposite end. The inner housing 136 is connected by screw threads 144 to a rod 142 at the upper end of the housing. This rod extends upwardly through and beyond the two housings 136, 130 and through a collar 152. At its upper end, rod 142 extends slidably through a guide 143 integral with the plate 20.

Collar 152 has pins 151 extending from opposite sides thereof on which links 154 are pivotally mounted. These links extend downwardly on opposite sides of the upper housing section 130 and are pivoted on their lower ends to a pair of spaced-apart levers 158. Advantageously, the levers 158 are secured together by means of a spacer pin 160 which extends between the web 22 of the slide member andthe upper housing section 130.

The levers 158 extend through slots 165 in the flanged section 24 of the slide and are pivotally mounted on a pin 164 in the ange section. The levers thus extend into the housing 18 and are bent inwardly towards each other at 166. A roller 168 is pivotally mounted between these levers on a pin 170.

The various mechanisms described above are actuated by a shaft 116 journaled at its ends in lthe sides of the housing 18 and having a projecting portion with a suitable hand wheel thereon. A pair of identical cams 118 mounted on the shaft 116 engage rollers 122 on a bracket 124 mounted on the rearward side of the slide member. Upon rotation of the shaft, these cams 118 thus lower the slide member to move the end of the nozzle against the eyelet in the board. The inserting mechanism 64 is actuated by a cam 120 on the shaft 116 disposed between the cams 118. When the handle is turned and the slide member is moved downwardly and the roller 168 is moved against the edge of the cam 120 to that further rotation of the shaft 116 causes the levers 158 to be pivoted about their axis 164 as is apparent from the contour of the cam 120.

In use, the parts will normally be in the positions shown in FIGURE 1. The operator positions the board beneath the slide member with the eyelet to which an electrical connection is to be made disposed on the anvil 16. He then inserts the wire through the eyelet and turns the handle to rotate the shaft 116. At the beginning of the operating cycle, the leading pin of the pin stick will be located in the passageway 81 of the transfer ring, the stick having been fed a distance equal the length of a single pin at the end of the previous operating cycle. Upon rotation of the shaft 116, the ring 78 is rotated through an angle of 90 and the leading pin of the stick is severed from -the stick and brought into alignment with the passageways 80, 76, 81, 66, and 68, see FIGURE 6. During this portion of the cycle, the slide member 20 is lowered by the action of the cams 118 on the rollers 122 until the lower end of the nozzle almost touches the surface of the panelboard. A slight clearance is left between the nozzle and the panelboard in order to avoid damaging the wire in the eyelet. After lowering of the slide member, the levers 158 are rocked about their pivotal axis in a manner such that the collar 152 is moved downwardly with concomitant compression of the spring 140. During this portion 0f the cycle, thrust is also transmitted through the spring 148 to the plunger 82 to drive the pin into the panelboard. The spring 148 limits the thrust to a pre-set level which cannot cause damage to the pin or wire. The plunger thus drives the pin through the aligned passageways in the transfer ring, the boss 74 and the nozzle end into the eyelet. The operator then releases the handle so that the slide is returned to its initial position. During the upward movement of the slide, the feed mechanism is actuated to feed the pin stick as previously described and the transfer ring is returned to its initial position.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when Viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for inserting a pin-like member into a panel comprising, a support for said panel, a slide member reciprocable towards and away from said support, means for feeding a succession of said pinlike members along a pin feed path in said slide, pin-inserting means on said slide including a plunger, means for moving said plunger toward said slide along a path intersecting said pin feed path, and means for orienting the leading pin of said succession in axial alignment with, and in front of, said plunger whereby, upon reorientation of said leading pinlike member and upon movement of said plunger towards said panel, said leading pin-1ike member is inserted into said panel.

2. Apparatus for inserting a pin-like member into a panel comprising, a support for said panel, a slide member reciprocable towards and away from said support, a feed path in said slide member, said feed path extending parallel to the plane of a panel disposed on said support, pininserting means on said slide member including a plunger, said plunger being reciprocable towards and away from said support along a path which intersects said feed path, pin-orienting means disposed at the intersection of said feed path and the path of reciprocation of said plunger, a passageway in said orienting means, said orienting means being rotatable from a rst position in which said passageway is in alignment with said pin feed path -to a second position in which said passageway is in alignment with said path of reciprocation whereby, upon feeding the leading pin of said succession into said orienting means when said orienting means is in said first position and upon rotation of said orienting means to said second position, and upon movement of said slide member and said plunger towards said panel, said pin is brought into alignment with said plunger and inserted into said panel.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including a frame member, said slide member and said support being provided on said frame, and cam means on said frame for lowering said slide member, for shifting said orien-ting means, and for moving said plunger.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,748,388 6/ 1956 Cardani 227-88 2,768,763 10/1956 Meilstrup 29/211 2,902,689 9/ 1959 Petersen 227-155 2,978,707 4/ 1961 Runciman 227-90 2,979,721 4/ 1961 Helda 227-97 3,071,174 1/ 1963 Kerns 29-203 JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR INSERTING A PIN-LIKE MEMBER INTO A PANEL COMPRISING, A SUPPORT FOR SAID PANEL, A SLIDE MEMBER RECIPROCABLE TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM SAID SUPPORT, MEANS FOR FEEDING A SUCCESSION OF SAID PINLIKE MEMBERS ALONG A PIN FEED PATH IN SAID SLIDE, PIN-INSERTING MEANS ON SAID SLIDE INCLUDING A PLUNGER, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PLUNGER TOWARD SAID SLIDE ALONG A PATH INTERSECTING SAID PIN FEED PATH, AND MEANS FOR ORIENTING THE READING PIN OF SAID SUCCESSION IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH, AND IN FRONT OF, SAID PLUNGER WHEREBY, UPON REORIENTATION OF SAID LEADING PINLIKE MEMBER AND UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER TOWARDS SAID PANEL, SAID LEADING PIN-LIKE MEMBER IS INSERTED INTO SAID PANEL. 